26 October 2005

From A Bestiary of Imaginary Species edited by Nenad Dragicevic: Chronofrond

The chronofrond was discovered by a hiker who stopped along a trail and bent down to pick up what looked like a large leaf stuck in the mud. As she grasped the stem it oozed away from her. Subsequent investigations revealed the chronofrond behaved like a rudimentary sundial. The stem-like head cast a deep red shadow onto its own body, which was leaf-shaped. The chronofrond lived in a small and secluded area; however, a craze for chronofronds developed. People displayed them as exotic timepieces. Chronofronds were harvested to extinction. Some preserved specimens can still be found at clock repair shops.